Israeli air strikes hit Gaza militants following Eilat attack

The Israeli air force has carried out an air strike in Gaza on a house in Rafah, in retaliation for attacks in Israel.

Israeli officials had warned that there would be trouble after militants attacked vehicles near Eilat in southern Israel killing seven people. The Israeli army killed seven of the attacking gunmen in a firefight following the ambush.

Israeli officials said Gaza militants were responsible, although Gaza’s Hamas government denied involvement. Like they were actually going to say – “yeah it was us”.

Sources in Gaza say that six people died in the air raid including Kamal al-Nairab, the leader of the Popular Resistance Committees faction allied to Hamas.

Who would have thought it? Of all the house in Gaza the air force hit one containing a the leader of a militant faction. A stunning coincidence, or does Israel have the best intelligence network in the world?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said those killed were responsible for the attacks earlier in the day near Eilat.

“The people who gave the order to murder our people and hid in Gaza are no longer among the living,” he said in a televised address.

“If anyone thinks the state of Israel will resign itself to this, they are wrong.”

Well he would say that wouldn’t he? The air force could have killed a lonely goat herder and Israel would have claimed he was responsible for the attacks.

When will both sides learn that violence will only foster more violence? What the Israeli and Palestinian leadership say is as predictable as public relations twaddle that regular politicians spout – just with more anger.

A spokesman for Israel’s largest betting and domestic security agency, Shin Bet, said several of those who died had been involved in the 2006 kidnapping of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.

So what was the score? Newswarped has done a body count back and the Israeli’s win 13-7. Why is no one celebrating? Just another day in the Middle East I guess.